There Is No Hope
by SenZ
Summary: Having failed to turn Zen to the dark side, Darth Dalfarus the leader of the evil Imperial Inquisitors launches a even more deadly plan to bring the assassin under his wings. And when Kristina's life hangs in the balance, what will Zen do to save her?
1. Chapter 1

_The following story takes place six months after the events in Prince of Darkness..._

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Chapter 1**

**Imperial Command Ship **_**Terminator**_**, orbiting planet Eriadu **

Eriadu, a world once known for its beauty, was now an industrial wasteland. All across the planet dense smog shrouded the atmosphere, fed by the hundreds of thousands of factories dotted across its surface. The land was barren, the forests cut, and the water black from the constant dumping of chemicals from manufacturing centers. Sitting in the junction of the Rimma Trade Route, Lipsec Run, Yankirk Route, and the Hydian Way, Eriadu had slowly converted itself from a farming planet to a rising industrial powerhouse in the region. The legislators, whose pockets were overflowing with money, pushed for more factories and star ports. Farmers, who saw an opportunity in those factories, sent population skyrocketing in cities. The industrial boom provided much income for the planet, but health and life expectancy plummeted. Nonetheless trade continued to flourish here and the planet's export of textiles, technology, and droids fueled the Republic war machine. Until now.

Darth Dalfarus, Sith Lord and head of the Imperial Inquisitors, stood on the bridge of the command ship _Terminator_. Originally built for Darth Radyk, the ship now served as Dalfarus's personal flagship. Ahead of him lay the planet of Eriadu, black smoke spewing from the massive fires that raged on the surface resulting from months of sieges and battles. Eridau, the Coruscant of the Outer Rim, was now host to one of the largest battles of the war. Five months ago, two Imperial Fleets bypassed Republic defenses at Sluis Van and began a massive invasion of Eriadu. Caught off guard, the Republic garrison on the planet was decimated as the Imperial Army marched into Eriadu City. The Jedi, fearing that the news of another defeat could spark riots, led reinforcements that destroyed the orbiting Imperial fleet and drove the Sith to the south. Not wanting to be outmatched by the Jedi, the Emperor ordered Dalfarus to personally oversee the Second Battle of Eriadu, an order the Sith Lord happily obliged. Dalfarus was tired of politics in the capital and a major victory could only bolster his support. And so Dalfarus led a combined five fleets from Utapau and counter-blockaded the Republic fleet surrounding the planet, landing much needed supplies and reinforcements to the troops on the planet.

So far, his operation was proceeding as planned. In a series of brilliant maneuvers and strange tactics, Dalfarus captured the Republic held planets of Sevarcos II and Clak'dor VIII and completely decimated the planet of Sluis Van, home to a large Republic bastion and the largest network of shipyards in the region. The massive size of the Sith fleet and the loss of Sluis Van dealt a major blow to the morale of Republic troops, something Dalfarus exploited as he ordered attacks on the surface that overran several Republic forts. So far, his plans are working but Dalfarus knows this is only the beginning. There are many Jedi Knights on the surface and just as many Masters. Even with his assassins, Inquisitors, and Sith warriors, Dalfarus knows the battle will be fierce. But he was planning to do whatever it takes to capture Eriadu and bring it into the Sith Empire.

But Dalfarus also had another objective. Ever since the death of Radyk he had been secretly monitoring Zen and Kristina, using his power and influence to plan the assassin's every step. Every planet Zen went to, every mission he accepted, was the direct result of Dalfarus's manipulation. Someone with Zen's talent is one in a million and the Sith Lord won't be giving him up that easily. Zen is a valuable asset and a powerful weapon and with him Dalfarus can destroy all his enemies in the court. And Dalfarus would've had Zen already if it wasn't for Radyk, who thwarted his plans. Even though Radyk returned to his service, the damage had already been done. Not wanting anymore interference from someone who had fallen out of his favor, Dalfarus sent Radyk on a suicide mission to make sure the latter died.

No, Dalfarus won't make the same mistake twice. He had a new agent to do his bidding; one he was sure is absolutely loyal to him and won't fail. He felt foolish putting his hopes on one person but with Zen it is a special case. Sometimes Dalfarus wondered if Zen was worth all this trouble and time but in the end his desire to destroy his enemies prevailed. In due time they will all die, there is just the matter of when. Dalfarus considered himself patient but even his patience was wearing thin. He needed to speed up his operation and proceed with the invasion. Turning away from the view port, Dalfarus walked over Admiral Garruk, a native of Sluis Van who had defected and lead to fall of the planet. The admiral was going over logistics of the fleet with some subordinates but turned to face the Sith Lord and bowed.

"You will be pleased to know," the Sluissi began, "that our operation is on schedule. Our ships are in position for an attack and all troops are ready for landing."

"We must act now," Dalfarus replied. "Too much delaying will give our enemy more time to bolster their defenses."

"But my lord we are not ready!" the admiral protested. "Attacking prematurely would cause massive casualties and we will be weakened!"

"We have troops and we have ships Admiral," Dalfarus replied. "Ships can be rebuilt, men be replaced."

"But it takes time to build ships and even more time training soldiers," Garruk countered. It was obvious the Admiral cared for his men but his resistance was futile, Dalfarus easily outrank him. "We are going to deplete our resources and population if we keep going like this."

"Do not question your orders Admiral," Dalfarus said threateningly. "You know what to do, prepare your ships for battle. We attack in an hour."

**XXXXXX**

**Surface of Planet Eriadu**

Shells exploded around him as he ran down the crater filled street. Rubble, dropped blasters, and dead bodies littered the streets around him as tanks and crashed aircrafts burned. The man dived and took cover behind a large slab of steel moments before a shell blew up the spot he had stood, showering him with dust. He checked the body next to him for a pulse but found none. He sighed as he took the dead man's helmet and held it up over the piece of steel. A shot sounded in the air and blew a hole in the helmet. Snipers. Without any hesitation the man bolted, zig zagging down the street to avoid debris and to make sure the sniper doesn't get a clear aim. He wasn't sure whose side the sniper belonged to but whoever the person is, he or she is hostile. The droning of tanks was growing louder and shells began exploding more frequently. The enemy was drawing nearer and the man knew he had to evacuate.

He ran towards the burnt wreckage of a Republic gunship, where he was greeting by two large men holding blasters. The men led him down a small alleyway and into a park, or what once was a park. The grass had long been burnt and blood stained the dirt. There were abandoned tents and crates of empty medial supplies laying everywhere. Blood stained sheets and towels were being dumped into a huge pile. The park had played host to a field hospital but it seemed most of the patients were gone, leaving only a handful of soldiers to guard the area.

"Zen!" a woman cried out as the man entered the park. The man turned out and smiled as the woman ran towards him. The two embraced. "I was so worried about you! I thought something happened to you."

"Relax Kristina," Zen smiled. "I'm still in one peace."

"And now we have business to discuss," a third man said, walking up to the two of them. He was about the same height as Zen, although more heavily built. He was wearing a stolen Republic combat uniform and carrying a large blaster. His eyes were green and he has a long blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. He is Neo Liin, the leader of a supposed terrorist organization called Green Front. In reality the Green Front were simply resistance fighters, pushing for workers rights, fair laws, less corruption, and a better environment. Many workers and members of the middle class supported their agenda and the government, feeling threatened, branded the group as a terrorist. With no other option, the organization had been driven underground, forced to wage constant guerrilla warfare against the government. With the invasion however, the government and Green Front signed a ceasefire agreement and promised to fight together but when the Republic intervened, the governor saw this as an opportunity to wipe out the rebels and massacred thousands of Green Front and suspected Green Front members.

Zen and Kristina, both driven away from the organizations they worked for, had now become soldiers for hire. For the past six months, they had accepted a dozen missions, working for the highest bidder butalways sticking to their moral code of only doing missions to help others. They had caught wind of the Green Front movement while on Arkanis and slipped past the Sith and Republic blockade to help the group. Their help has been much appreciated too, saving the lives of countless soldiers that would otherwise been killed in the battle. Their goal was simple: to drive both the morally corrupt Republic and the evil Sith Empire off Eriadu. And their plan was to have both sides exhaust themselves with fighting.

"We were ambushed," Zen said. "I took four men on a routine reconnaissance mission but as he rounded the West End, we were attacked by a dozen Sith droids. I managed to make it out alive but the others weren't so lucky. As soon as I made it out of the West End the Sith began their offensive."

"Then we must leave," Neo said. "The Republic has already evacuated and so should we. I've moved the wounded and the refugees to the hills. They'll be safe there for the time being. Now we need to figure out where we're going to go."

"We can't hide downtown that's for sure," Zen replied, thinking to himself. "If we aren't killed by the Republic garrison then the Sith will kill us. Eriadu City is a lost cause; it will fall and most of the defenders will die."

"We can head to the hills as well?" Kristina suggested but Neo pointed out that the caves located up there barely have any more room to accommodate the refugees let along them.

"Our best option is to head east," Zen said, "and go to the Bluebelt Seas. We can sneak onboard a Republic barge and go to forests to regroup."

"That's right," Neo nodded. "The town of Freeville has always been supportive of us. In fact we can even recruit more members."

"If you take your men and leave now, you'll probably reach there by the end of the week," Kristina added.

"What about you?"

Zen smiled. "Kristina and I are breaking into the Governor's Palace in the city and try to steal some logistical data. You know warehouses, armories, and that kind of stuff. If we make it out alive, we'll join you in Freeville."

Neo frowned. "Are you telling me that you two are doing this without me? So I'm not part of this fun?"

Both Zen and Kristina laughed. "Sorry mate," the assassin said, patting Neo on the back. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to come."

"Come on man, you know I can't pass an opportunity like this," Neo smiled. "I've been dreaming about killing that pig governor for years now, especially since what he did to my men."

"So it's decided then, Neo will come with us," Kristina said happily.

"Wait," the Green Force command said. He ran off and came back with a large, bald black man in tow. The man had two pistols on his belt and a large vibrosword behind his back. "This is Marcus. He knows the city best and we'll need him."

Zen and Kristina nodded their approval. One more hand was always better and they would need all the help they can get to sneak past Republic checkpoints and defenses. And so after a quick exchange of greetings (and after Neo ordered his men to evacuate), the four of them began plotting. Zen pulled out a small holoprojector that displayed the layouts of the palace and the sewer systems of the city. The plan was simple; the four of them would sneak into the sewers and would lead them directly into the city, right under the palace. Then they would proceed up and split into groups of two; with Zen and Kristina going after logistics and Neo and Marcus going after the governor. With everything all said and done, the four of them jumped into the sewer and began navigating the smelly and junk ridden tunnels towards downtown.

**XXXXXX**

**Republic Cruiser **_**Fortitude**_**, orbiting planet Eriadu **

Akku Tejji stared out at the vast expanse of ships that formed the Imperial Eriadu Task Force and he was worried. They were preparing for an attack and Akku knew it. Yet despite being outnumbered three to one, Akku knew the Republic was still a formidable opponent because they had the support of several large planetary based anti-ship guns. Yet Eriadu was a lost cause, it has been a lost cause since the Republic couldn't send the reinforcements he requested days ago. And so his primary mission changed with that fact. He was no longer to beat back the Sith invasion but rather to hold them off long enough for Republic forces on the surfaces to destroy the factories and warehouses. Then he was to supervise the evacuation of personnel and civilians, which meant he needed to break the tight blockade around the planet. There will be a great loss of life that is for sure but the question is how much. As the Master of the Order, he is without doubt one of the most powerful Jedi in the Order but even his power has its limits. Akku had flirted with the idea of immortality (so he can keep others alive) but he has always beaten that idea down for he knows it will make him fall to the dark side.

"Captain what is our status?" Akku asked Captain Freedo, skipper of the _Fortitude _and the commander of the Republic fleet.

Freedo was in his mid sixties and was a very short man. No taller than 5'6", he was known for his bold maneuvers, aggressive tactics, and unpredictable strikes. He was a veteran against pirates in the Outer Rim and retired years earlier to become a teacher at the Republic Naval Academy on Coruscant. When the war started, Freedo was re-commissioned along with many other naval commanders yet he turned down the post of Admiral, instead opting to become the captain of just a cruiser. Such humility won the admiration of Akku, who specifically chose Freedo as the leader of the Republic task force.

"Our ships are ready for battle. All star fighter squadrons reporting green," Freedo announced. "Planetary guns in full order."

"Good," Akku replied, "and our ground forces?"

"The Imperial Army began an offensive in the West End district of Eriadu City," Freedo said. "But our troops in the downtown area report no fighting."

Akku sighed. The Republic had thousands of troops in Eriadu City and thousands more of local militia were helping them fight. The Sith had encircled the whole entire city with three times the number of troops and twice as much armor. The Republic can spare no reinforcements and as a result, the troops in the city were left to fend for themselves. Akku knew leaving them there was an order but morally he couldn't do so. He had already watched many of his friends and colleagues fall and he will not tolerate the deaths of thousands of young men. If he can't save all of them, he might as well save some of them. "Prepare a gunship for me."

"Where are you going?" Freedo asked. "Not to the surface I hope."

"That is exactly where I am going," Akku replied.

"That is suicide," Freedo said. "I hope how you feel general, but you can't win the battle. Eriadu City is a lost cause. We can't afford to lose anymore Jedi."

"I understand Captain, but I am not going down there to win a battle. Someone needs to coordinate an orderly withdrawal."

"Withdrawal? Withdrawal to where? Even if you manage to get past the encirclement, where will you go? Every single city, town, and settlement within a twenty mile radius is controlled by the Sith."

"Someone has to try Freedo. If I don't do this hundreds of thousands will die. Can you sleep at night knowing you could've done something? Knowing you could've saved even one person?"

The old Captain sighed. "I still don't agree with this."

"Your concern means a lot to me Freedo but I outrank you and I just gave you a direct order. Don't worry; I will make it out alive."

And with that the Grand Master of the Order departed the bridge and headed down to the hangars.

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_Enjoy and review please. :)_

_Just some teasers but this story will go into detail about space and ground battles. Also don't expect quick updates like the last story. The plot is way deeper in this and the chapters longer so it will take time to write them. But I hope you this more than PoD. :)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Eriadu City**

A gunship hovered softly a few inches from the ground as Grand Master of the Jedi Order Akku Tejji jumped out. Several Republic commanders in white battle armor with red shoulder pads greeted him and immediately showered him with facts about the city's defenses. It seems there are nearly nine thousand Republic troops and twice that number of militia and calls for evacuation, hundreds of thousands of civilians still remained, crowding the hastily constructed underground bomb shelters. Food was getting scarce, despite months of storing and rationing. Laborers and droids were now drilling tunnels into the sewers to use it to smuggle food and supplies in from the outside. But that's just one of the problems plaguing the defense force. Shells for the cannons were also running low and without the cannons, the defenders can't hold back Imperial tanks. The Imperial Army has deployed a series of anti-transport projectile launchers around the city and that prevented Republic ships from landing. The situation here was worse than Akku had imagined.

"I'm not here to help you win this battle commander," Akku said. "I'm here to make sure you have minimal loss of life when you retreat."

"Retreat? With all due respect general I think we are beyond the point of retreat," the commander replied. "There is no way we can break that blockade."

"There is always a way commander. You just have to look hard to see it," Akku said. "When the Sith breaks our defenses, have your men organize themselves into squadrons of no more than five. Use Imperial uniforms and attempt to sneak past their defenses into friendly territory. They can't kill everyone."

The commander thought for a moment but could not figure out a better plan. "You know that might actually work."

"Of course it will work," Akku smiled. "Now take me to General Erris at the first defense line."

**XXXXXX**

**Imperial Command Ship **_**Terminator, **_**orbiting planet Eriadu**

"This is your last chance Captain," Garruk said to the holographic figure of Freedo. "Surrender now or perish with your fleet."

"I'm sorry I cannot do that Admiral," Freedo replied. "My orders are to fight until the end and that is exactly what I am going to do."

"Then you leave me with no choice Captain," Garruk muttered as the hologram of Freedo disappeared. He turned to an Inquisitor standing silently at the corner and the Sith nodded at him. Dalfarus himself had retreated from the bridge to meditate, leaving one of his minions to watch over the operation. "You may begin the assault," Garruk said to the bridge command crew.

The Imperial ships began to move. The smaller destroyers and frigates raced towards the Republic blockade while the cruisers provided fire support from the back. The smaller and more agile Imperial destroyers easily tore through the first line of Republic ships, wreaking havoc among their fleet until Freedo deployed frigates to counter. The even smaller Republic ships simply flew under the destroyers and fired salvo after salvo of lasers at the unprotected fuselage. Garruk watched as dozens of his destroyers went up in flames but he wasn't concerned. As soon as the first wave of ships was destroyed, another wave went in to take over. "Deploy our own frigates," Garruk ordered. "Pull the destroyers back and let the frigates do their work."

The Republic ships went up in flames as the newer and better armed Sith frigates took over the battle, steering it away from the Republic's favor. The enemy however countered by launching wave after wave of fighters. The small and nimble ships dodged the laser cannons on the frigates and used proton torpedoes to bring to them down. The line of frigates quickly collapsed and the fighters moved on to take out the destroyers. Destroyers, however, were armed with point defense laser cannons designed to tackle small fighters but it wasn't enough. The Republic pilots were well trained and dodged the laser blasts. Garruk watched as one fighter swerved around, dodging bolts and fired a pair of proton torpedo that struck the destroyer's engines. The large ships exploded and its stern snapped away from the hull. Despite the combined firepower of the Imperial fleet, several more destroyers went up in flames. It became quite obvious to Garruk that some of the fighter pilots were Jedi.

"Sir enemy dive bombers approaching," one of the officers announced, watching a computer screen.

"Where are our fighters?" Garruk barked. "Get our fighters into the air now!"

Several minutes later, wave after wave of Sith interceptors flew out of the cruisers and battleships. The two fleet of fighters clashed, leading to explosions everywhere. The Republic dive bombers weren't built for dogfights and quickly withdrew, giving the battlefield to their fighter escorts. It was absolute slaughter. Having exhausted most of their weapons and power attacking capital ships, the Republic fighters stood no chance against a more rested opponent. Enemy fighters dropped like flies but small rogue squadrons did manage to get past Imperial fighters. "Divert all power to the shields," Garruk ordered as he saw a dozen fighters coming his way. "Increase forward firepower."

The Republic fighters opened fire with everything they got: missiles, proton torpedoes, and lasers. Most of it was blocked by the shield but the _Terminator_ rocked as several missiles struck the hull. The computers began beeping as it displayed the damage report on the ship. "Sir our forward stabilizers are damaged," the ballast control officer reported. "Our nose is diving fifteen degrees past normal."

"Magnetize," Garruk ordered. The damage wasn't severe but Garruk wasn't going to fight with a ship that was listing. "Divert power from the forward stabilizers to the rear ones. Level out the ship. And I want engineers down there to fix it at once!"

Garruk turned his attention back to the battle. The first wave of Republic fighters were beaten back and Imperial ships were once again attacking. It was time to take the battle to another level. "All ships advance. Concentrate fire on the Republic capital ships. Knock out their cruisers!" Garruk said. Without capital ships providing fire support, the smaller frigates and destroyers could easily be destroyed. The large ground cannons still had not fired and Garruk wondered if what they were waiting for. He isn't going to wait and find out; no he needed to end this battle as soon as possible. The Jedi were cunning and Garruk felt uncomfortable fighting them. The Admiral sighed as the _Terminator _plowed through the debris towards the Republic blockade.

**XXXXXX**

**Eriadu City**

The first defense line of Eriadu City was nothing more than barricades made out of rubble and foxholes. The main weapon was the large cannons, which fired high explosive projectiles that kept back previous assaults. There were also several smaller laser cannons, heavy repeating blasters, and mortars scattered around the area but the primary defense was still the thousands of troops and militia. Their orders were no longer to hold Eriadu City, but to kill. Kill and cause so many Imperial deaths that it would paralyze their operation on the planet for weeks if not months. It was suicide but their sacrifice is supposed to save the planet, a planet that cannot be saved. But now Akku is bringing a new order, an order to survive. To live in order to fight another day and he would begin with the first defense line.

Commander Erris is the top commander in the region. She was only 22 years old but was a very powerful Jedi Knight. When Master Koch died in a bombing two weeks ago, she was put in charge of the defense line. She was tall and attractive, with big blue eyes and blonde hair. But her looks were deceiving and when it came time to battle, she fought fiercely. Akku was confident she could hold off the Sith if they played fair but not when dealing with an army that outnumbered them three to one. The female Jedi turned and smiled as Akku walked into the makeshift bunker that served as a forward command post. "Master Tejji," she said, "what brings you here?"

"To see how the battle preparations are going," Akku replied as he looked around the room. The bunker was nothing more than a hole underground covered held up by a concrete frame with a sandbag roof. It was hastily built and Akku knows it would survive a bombing. "And to hear about your plans for an evacuation."

"Evacuation?" Erris asked, surprised. "With all due respect Master Tejji there is no possible way to evacuate from this kind of encirclement."

"There is always a way," Akku said. "Think…..how would you evacuate an army in normal encirclement?"

"Well the wisest thing to do would probably have everyone split into groups and try to sneak out."

"Exactly what I had in mind! But if we want to break this encirclement we would have to be a bit…creative. Have our soldiers dress up as Sith commandos, civilians, anything but our own military uniforms. Tell them to scatter across the city and try to break checkpoints at night. We won't be able to save everyone but at least some will survive."

At that moment one of the commanders who was standing outside walked in carrying a hologram projector in his hand. "General, Captain Freedo sent word that the Imperial fleet have begun their offensive," the soldier said.

Akku nodded his acknowledge. "Tell the Captain to hold the blockade at all costs. Do not let a single Sith transport enter the atmosphere. Charge up the planetary guns and open fire at any ship that gets past the blockade."

Erris opened her mouth to say something but at that moment a large explosion shook the ground and collapsed portions of the bunker. Akku, Erris, and a handful of survivors ran out into the streets. Dozens of Sith bombers were flying low, dropping powerful explosives on the defenses of the city. Republic anti-air batteries responded, filling the sky with the explosion of flak shells. Several bombers went up in flames and the rest retreated. The Sith had finally begun their offensive.

"BATTLE STATIONS!" Erris shouted over the rumbling of Sith tanks. Both she and Akku had their blue lightsabers ready for battle. Infantry troops were rushing into foxholes and bunkers as snipers took position in the nearby buildings. Militiamen mounted heavy blasters and helped cannon crew load up the large weapons.

"This is it," Akku said as he readied himself for the largest battle for Eriadu City.

**XXXXXX**

The ground shook as Zen, Kristina, Neo, and Marcus proceed through the sewers. The continuous shaking meant only one thing, the Sith had begun their attack on the city. And that would help them tremendously because with all the fighting and confusion, no one would pay close attention to them. Of course they can't just march into the Governor's Palace wearing their current clothes, which stank of sewage but finding a few Republic uniforms won't be hard. They had lost track of time and it felt like hours in the sewers but Zen knew they were getting close. As they walked the tunnels became narrower and narrower, which meant they were close to downtown. The Governor's Palace is located in the middle of the city and the current sewer they're in should lead them directly to the bottom of the palace. Then it's just a matter of finding a way into the basement.

"The Governor is one sneaky bastard," Neo said. "From what I know he built an escape tunnel from his basement directly into the sewers for emergency purposes. If we can find it then we should have no problem getting into the Palace."

"Of course he has one," Marcus said to no one in particular. "They all have one."

"Well we still have a way to go," Zen said, reading a small datapad that displayed the map of the sewage system. "We should be under the third defense line now. I say another mile and we'll reach the Palace."

"Come on then, don't waste anymore time," Kristina said. "We need to get there before the Sith breaks through."

**XXXXXX**

**Imperial Command Ship **_**Terminator, **_**orbiting planet Eriadu**

Deep inside the _Terminator_, Dalfarus sat in perfect calm, oblivious to the battle going outside. Here in his meditation chamber was a sea of tranquility. Made out of a rare and very special type of metal, the room was a conduit for the vast amount of Force energy floating around. Here, the Force would be trapped, acting as a reservoir until Dalfarus needed to access it. Force-feeding, as this was called, is an extremely complicated and delicate art and few in the Galaxy know of it. Even the smallest mistake in the spell can cause an energy overload and destroy the caster. But Dalfarus had mastered this, he had help, but he has mastered it. And using Force-feeding, Dalfarus can take in massive amounts of raw Force energy and not die. It has sustained his body for nearly two hundred years, allowing him to live without food or water and never run out of energy.

The room itself was quite simple. There were no light, as the strange purple glow of the walls illuminated the room brightly. There was a single door, Force locked so no one can get in. Two Inquisitors stood guard outside; making sure the room was perfectly sealed. In the middle of the room was a mat, where Dalfarus knelt to meditate. The exterior of the walls were inlaid with triple layers of durasteel, making the room completely soundproof. Dalfarus had this room specially built when he took over the _Terminator_ and then had all workers killed so the plans and the materials would never fall in the hands of anyone else.

The body of the Sith Lord glowed in purple light as Force energy was absorbed into his body. His body was functioning, but his mind wasn't for Dalfarus's mind had transcended into another level. The Sith Lord was now in another world, inside a wide valley surrounded by green hills. The plants here were strange, gigantic flowers the size of trees, grass as tall as a human. There were three suns in the sky, but it felt cool and refreshing and the entire land was basked in sunlight. As Dalfarus walked, he came to a clearing devoid of trees and grass. A figure stood in the middle; a man with long silver hair and dark coat. He turned and smiled as Dalfarus entered.

"Morphis," Dalfarus said. "It's been too long."

"So it has," the man named Morphis replied. "So it has."

"What are you doing in my head again?" Dalfarus asked.

"You called me here Dalfarus," Morphis said simply.

"I didn't ask you to come into my head when I'm meditating."

"No? You seem quite interesting in Zen Tian my friend. Care to tell me why?"

"What do you know about Zen?" Dalfarus asked darkly.

"Everything there is to know. I know you failed to bring him to your control once and so now you are devising a very complex plan to do it again. I also know you wish to use his power to destroy your enemies."

"So what if I want an apprentice? A right hand man? An assassin to do my work? Isn't that what we do Morphis?"

"_You_ do. You seem to forget Dalfarus, I am not Sith."

"Oh no, you're _beyond_ a Sith," Dalfarus replied sarcastically.

"ENOUGH WITH THE HUMOR," Morphis roared and for a moment his eyes turned red. The sky darkened and his voice turned monstrous but he quickly calmed and recomposed himself. "You waste his talents Dalfarus doing petty crimes for you."

"You believe he is the Chosen One?" Dalfarus asked carefully.

Morphis thought carefully for a moment and smiled again. "No," he said. "He is not the Chosen One. He is beyond the Chosen One."

"You speak of him like he is some sort of god," Dalfarus scoffed.

"Don't doubt me Dalfarus," Morphis replied. "Zen Tian is powerful, but more powerful than he have imagined." The mysterious man turned away from Dalfarus and looked on to the horizon. "You know of Infinity and the Infinite Prophecy Dalfarus. Zen is the answer to that prophecy."

"Infinity is a myth Morphis, the prophecy is a myth."

"It is not Dalfarus. I was there when the prophecy was drawn. Zen is the one."

"That still doesn't explain why you're here Morphis."

"Your desire to have Zen as your apprentice brought me here. I am here to offer you advice and to warn you."

"Well go on then."

"My advice to you lies in the girl Kristina. If you truly want Zen to fall to the dark side, she will be an essential tool. What you must do with her I will not tell you for I think you are smart enough to figure it out on your own."

"And your warning?"

"My warning to you is that you are playing with powers far beyond your imagination. I may have taught you Force-feeding and granted you immortality but watch where you step Dalfarus. The power of Infinity can destroy you, the Galaxy, and life as we know it."

The last sentence began to echo as the figure of Morphis faded into the light. The light grew brighter and brighter, until Dalfarus had to shield his eyes. Suddenly the Sith Lord woke up; he was in his chamber. The spell was finished and Dalfarus felt the Force retreat back to the reservoir in the walls. The Sith Lord coughed and stood up, feeling a bit dazed. Why had Morphis come? Why now? Was everything he said about Zen true? Dalfarus felt the need to find out, on his own. It was time he looked at things with his own eyes rather than hearing reports about it. If the Infinite Prophecy is true, then Dalfarus may have a potential demigod under his control and could very well establish himself as the new Emperor. Morphis also had a point about Kristina; it seemed Dalfarus underestimated her role in all this. Before he could make a move on Zen, he would first need to capture Kristina. The Sith Lord walked out of the room and approached one of the Inquisitors standing guard.

"Prepare my shuttle. I am going to the surface," Dalfarus said.

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_If any of you are confused by this chapter, fear not! I will explain everything in due time. Review please :)_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Command Ship **_**Terminator**_**, orbiting planet Eriadu**

"Captain whose shuttle is that?" Garruk barked as he saw a small but heavily armored shuttle fly right into the heart of the battle towards the planet.

"Sir that is Lord Dalfarus's shuttle," the captain said after checking a computer screen.

"Damn it Dalfarus what are you doing," Garruk muttered to himself as he watched the fighter go. Whatever, it didn't concern him anyway. Plus he felt more confident fighting if the Sith Lord wasn't on the ship. He had more pressing matters to attend to; such as the battle at hand. His decision to attack the Republic head on had been costly, but it yielded great results. The battered Republic fleet seemed to be pulling back but was still putting up a fight. Imperial and Republic ships are now engaging in one on one combat, using broadside cannons to try and destroy one another. The smaller destroyers and _Oppressor _class ships were no match for capital ships but the battlecruisers and dreadnoughts held strong.

"Concentrate all our firepower on that cruiser," Garruk ordered, pointing a _Hammerhead_ class ship in the distance. The _Hammerhead_ class ships have been in service with the Republic for hundreds of years and are the backbone of the Republic Navy but the design and weapons were outdated. The four dual turbolasers on the _Terminator_'s starboard side quickly destroyed the shields on the enemy cruiser and the missiles obliterated the hull. All around the aging _Hammerhead_ class ships were being shot down, creating a hole in the blockade large enough for Imperial transports to get through. Garruk had decided it was time to send in the transports. "Move the transports. I want two destroyer escort to every transport," he said.

The leading transports made a move towards the planet surface, its shields holding strong against rouge Republic cruisers that tried to block their path. But suddenly green laser blasts came out of the atmosphere, destroying the lead transport. Garruk watched in horror as another transport was engulfed in flames as the Republic planetary guns fire volley after volley of turbolasers. Thousands of men were now dead because he had failed to anticipate this and Garruk knew this was all his fault. He should've seen it coming; the Republic didn't fire at his capital ships because they were waiting for his transports, smart bastards. "I want every single bomber and gunship we have to destroy those cannons," Garruk said slowly.

"Admiral, we have a Republic vessel coming our way," the skipper of the _Terminator _said.

"Have you ID'ed it? Garruk asked, turning his attention back to the battle. Indeed there was a Republic vessel approaching him, although he couldn't tell which class of ships it belonged to.

"Yes sir, the ship is the _Fortitude_," the captain replied. It is a _Resolve_ class battlecruiser, based on the design of the older _Centurion_ class. The _Resolve _class was a newer class of ships with better armor and weapons but only a limited number was built. Nonetheless the ship posed a challenge to the _Terminator_.

"Bring us about captain," Garruk said, "and prepare for battle."

**XXXXXX**

**Eriadu City**

Akku, Kristina, Neo, and Marcus stood in a small room that was the basement of the Governor's Palace, admiring their handiwork. In front of them lay four dead guards, their uniforms stripped and replaced with the clothes Akku and his gang had worn through the hangar. The basement was one of many in the building and is primarily used as storage shed; a perfect place to hide an escape tunnel. But that was beside the point. Now that they are in, they needed to find a way out. "I say we split up," Neo said to the group in a low voice. "We'll meet in the kitchen say…..in an hour?"

"The kitchen?" everyone else asked in unison.

"Well yes!" Neo replied. "Just think about it the kitchen is probably the least guarded area in this house. Plus theres an exit where they take out the trash and we can slip right out."

"Well he does have a point," Kristina said.

"Good then it is decided then. Kristina and I will go to the command center and Neo and Marcus take the governor," Zen said. "We meet at the kitchen in one hour. If any of us doesn't make it back, don't wait."

And so the group separated. Zen and Kristina sneaked out of the room and headed right while Neo and Marcus went left. Zen had read the blueprints of the Palace many times and had memorized some of the smaller, less traveled service corridors running around the main hallways. The command center, where most of the data is stored, is located on the fourth floor and directly underneath the Governor's bedroom. Getting in without fighting the guards would be impossible but Zen had a few tricks up his sleeves. Their first test came when a janitor saw them running down the corridor. She was inches away from pushing an alarm before Kristina Force-pushed her away, knocking her unconscious.

"Great call," Zen said as he continued to run.

"Why am I always the one doing these kinds of things?" Kristina muttered to herself as she joined him.

The pair of them continued through the corridors and took a series of service lifts to the fourth floor. Instantly they could hear the chattering of officials and the boots of the guards. They slipped out of the corridor and nodded to a protocol droid, who hurried past them. Continuing on, they came across little obstacle from the service and protocol droids that roamed the hallways. There must be some kind of meeting as almost all the officers disappeared into the lower levels. Even the guards seemed to have disappeared, although four stood outside the command center. Kristina nodded to Zen who then walked up casually towards the guards.

"Halt!" the lead guard said, pointing his blaster at Zen. "Identify yourself."

Zen concentrated for a moment then suddenly spread his arms out, unleashing a large Force Wave that sent all four guards crashing into the wall and knocking them unconscious. He then grabbed one of the unconscious guard's hand and placed a finger on the fingerprint scanner. The computer took in the print and the door hissed open. Kristina walked in and pointed her lightsaber at one of the men working a computer. "Leave. Now!" she said threateningly. The ten men in the room quickly took off. She stowed her lightsaber and sat down in front of one of the computers and began typing on the keypad.

As Kristina worked around the security, Zen locked all the rooms and disabled video feed for the Palace so security can't see what is going on. "You got thirty minutes," he said to Kristina. "Go."

**XXXXXX**

Akku deflected another blaster bolt and brought his lightsaber back in front of his face. The battle had been going on for some time now and neither side was gaining the advantage. The Republic troops couldn't hold back the Sith far enough and the Sith couldn't advance but Akku noticed the Sith hasn't deployed any heavy armor or lightsaber wielding Sith warriors. So far the attack teams consisted only of conscripts supported by a few small walkers and light assault vehicles. Republic cannons and rockets were enough to keep them at bay. Akku looked at Erris, who was swirling her lightsaber and sending heavy blaster fire back at the Sith. Behind her lay several soldiers who weren't lucky enough to avoid the blasters. Behind them were the heavy cannons, firing high explosive shells with a thunderous boom. Most of the shells just struck the no man's land between the two armies but one lucky shell managed to hit Sith lines. Screams were heard instantly as at least ten bodies were thrown into the air. Twice that much were simply torn apart by the explosion. The weaker weapons on the walkers could not reach the cannons plus the Sith had not sent in air support.

Suddenly the Sith troops turned and ran, leaving behind damaged vehicles and equipment. Republic troops cheered but their cheer was cut short by the need to clean up the bodies. At least a hundred had been killed and twice that much wounded. Medics ferried the wounded hurriedly to the makeshift hospitals in the city center as the remaining troops began reloading. This was just one wave of troops and more was sure to come. "This is just a test of our strength," Akku said to Erris. "They'll be back with better troops and vehicles."

His prediction was right and within twenty minutes the Sith returned, this time with tanks and gunships. The two sides exchanged artillery cannon but without the protection of flak batteries, the Republic cannons were quickly destroyed by gunships. And instead of conscripts, the Sith had sent in elite shock troopers led by lightsaber wielding Sith warriors. Even Republic regulars stood no chance, let alone the militia. Indeed within thirty minutes of the attack, more than half of the defenders were dead and the Sith were inching closer. Despite their great skill, Akku and Erris could not hold back the horde of Sith. A warrior charged at him and Akku engaged him in lightsaber combat. The warrior was well trained in the lightsaber arts but stood no chance against the Master of the Order. As the Sith raised his saber for a slash, Akku thrust his own lightsaber into the Sith's stomach. Another Sith attacked him but the Jedi kicked him in the head and broke his neck.

Akku turned and saw Erris engaging a Sith warrior was well. Two bodies lay besides her, still clutching their smoking lightsabers. She fought fiercely but her fate had already been sealed. Akku shouted a warning but it was too late. A stray shell from a tank landed a mere two meters away, blowing her and the Sith to pieces. Akku felt like charging into the oncoming army of Sith troops but he knew it was useless. The battle had been lost and the Sith had broke through. Already the panicking troops were fleeing and he joined them in retreating. He had done all he could to organize a smooth evacuation of the city but now it was up to the soldiers to put that plan into action. His first priority is to sneak out of the blockade, make contact with Captain Freedo, and try to find a way out of this planet. Eriadu is a lost cause and Akku isn't about to give up his life here.

**XXXXXX**

"Lord Dalfarus!" the commander of the ground operation against Eriadu City proclaimed in surprise as he saw the Sith Lord emerge from his shuttle. "What a surprise to you see. The battle has been-"

Dalfarus held up his hand and the commander closed his mouth. "I do not care about the ground operation commander," the Sith Lord said. "Tell me have you apprehended any prisoners? People trying to break the encirclement?"

"Yes sir," the commander replied in a puzzled voice, "plenty in fact. Does your lordship wish to review them?"

"No. Call the warden of the prison," Dalfarus ordered. The commander ran off and a few minutes later returned with a short and overweight man in the uniform of an Army Captain.

"My lord?" the captain asked as he attempted to bow low but Dalfarus dismissed it.

"Captain have you processed any of these people?" Dalfarus asked as he held up a datapad displaying the pictures of Zen and Kristina.

The warden studied the pictures carefully and shook his head. "No sir we have not," he said.

"Are you sure captain?"

"Absolutely. Your lordship can check for yourself."

Dalfarus waved a hand and both the commander and the warden bowed away. If they weren't captured that means they are either still in the city or had already escaped. Dalfarus can't lose hope now, not when he is so close to capturing his prize. He reached out into the Force and sensed the young assassin among the many life forms in the surrounding area but it was still too early to pinpoint the exact location. The Sith Lord considered activating his sleeper but decided it was too early. He turned around and called one of his servants over. "Ready the shuttle, I am going to the front lines," he said.

**XXXXXX**

**Republic Cruiser **_**Fortitude, **_**orbiting planet Eriadu**

It was over. The fleet had been scattered and the blockade broken. With most of the planetary guns taken out, the Sith troops were now free to land on the planet and unload troops, equipments, and supplies. The breaking of the blockade however does not mean the battle had ended. The majority of the Republic fleet decided to stay and fight to the end, engaging the Imperial fleet in one on one combat. Despite being pushed back, the Republic ships fought valiantly, downing several cruisers and inflicting heavy damage on their enemy. The _Fortitude_ led the charge and attacked the lead Imperial commander ship the _Terminator_.

"All batteries open fire!" Freedo ordered as the two ships lined up besides each other. The _Fortitude_ had seven large turbolaser batteries installed on her broadside and they wreaked havoc on the enemy ship. However the _Terminator_'s dual turbolasers was just as deadly and knocked out the shields on the starboard hull.

"Hard to starboard, starboard engines full astern," Freedo order as he brought the _Fortitude_ back for another round. His starboard shields might be gone but his port shields are still running strong. He knew he was finished but he isn't going to go down without a fight.

The second pass proved to be more deadly for the _Terminator_. Because Garruk decided not to use his undamaged side, his ship sustained even more damage. Freedo could see it begin to list as smoke spewed out of the hull. But his own ship was done for as well. "Damage report," he demanded as warning klaxons sounded.

"Sir our shield generators are completely down. Batteries six and seven on the starboard side and one, three, and four on the port side are down. Fires in levels 22, 23, 14, and 3," one of the bridge crews said.

"Gentlemen," Freedo said, "you have all served valiantly these past few days. Your people and the Republic will forever remember your actions on Eriadu. In my entire naval career I am more proud of you than all my other bridge crews. You are the true heroes of the Republic, heroes that will never be forgotten. I know many of you have families; families and children back home. I know. And that is why I am not forcing any of you to join me in this last stand against our enemy. Anyone who wishes to go the escape pods has been activated. I will not blame you. You will not be labeled as cowards. But know that what you could've done will save the lives of thousands if not millions of people on the planet. If you wish to leave then now is your chance."

Freedo paused; he had expected the crew to leave the bridge but to his surprised everyone stayed. One of the weapon controls officer stood up and saluted. "Sir we are staying with you until the end," he said.

Freedo felt tears falling down from his eyes. "You are warriors," he said. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And now brothers, battle stations! Let this be our last stand!"

The entire bridge cheered and resumed their duties as Freedo shouted orders. "Push reactor to full power. Divert all remaining power to the engines. Head for the _Terminator _and bring it down."

* * *

_I appreciate all the reviews you guys have been leaving and I am working to address some of the concerns you guys have raised. Keep the reviews coming so I can write a better story! Don't forget if you have a good idea tell me! :)_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Command ship **_**Terminator, **_**orbiting planet Eriadu**

"Give me the damage report," Garruk said over the blaring warning klaxons. The duel with the _Fortitude _had taken a heavy toll on the _Terminator _and the ship was beginning to list. He can't hold out any longer, if repairs aren't made then the ship could potential be disabled. As the computers calculated the damage dealt to the ship, Garruk pushed the reactors to maximum, trying to flee the battle. Three destroyers were racing towards him, hoping to provide cover and a safe retreat for their command ship. The Sluissi Admiral's hopes for escape was dashed however when a huge explosion rocked the ship and threw him to the ground. Warning klaxons blared even louder as an aide pulled Garruk up. The ship seemed to have stopped moving.

"Sir we've been hit by one of the planetary guns," an officer reported.

"What's our status?" Garruk demanded. He cursed at his luck; six of the nine cannons were destroyed but the remaining ones just _had _to hit him.

"Sir Reactor 2 is heavily damaged. There is a huge fire engulfing all seven levels in the engine room," another man said. "Weapons have been deactivated and we're completely disabled."

Garruk cursed again. "Can we divert power from Reactor 1?" he asked, hoping it would give the ship enough energy to limp back to the safety of the fleet. The destroyers were close but not quite there yet. And worse of all the _Fortitude_ was flying right towards him.

"No sir, Reactor 1 can't power the lighting, shields, and the engine by itself."

"And the auxiliary reactors? The backup power cells?"

"The two auxiliary reactors have been damaged and we've already exhausted our backup cells."

"Damn it. Cut power to the weapons and direct them to our forward shields. Order the destroyers to move faster and cover us," Garruk said. If the destroyers can stop the _Fortitude_ then he can have a tow ship fly him back to the safety of the fleet.

But it was too late.

There was no way the destroyers can get to them before the _Fortitude_ does. Freedo might have lost the battle but the Captain apparently isn't going down without a fight. In all his life Garruk had never felt so desperate and in his last moments he began realizing everything. He had only been a pawn; elevated to the post of Admiral only because Dalfarus needed him for the invasion of Sluis Van. Garruk had served the Republic faithfully for years and left only because he felt the Republic was morally corrupt. He had thought that the Empire could change all that but he was wrong. The Sith are manipulative and just as evil as the Republic if not worse. He had betrayed his people to a nation more interested in power than the general welfare of its citizens. He had betrayed his ideals of democracy and freedom. As the _Fortitude_ appeared closer and closer, Garruk stood there. He made no attempts to flee because he felt too ashamed to live. He helped the Sith kill hundreds of thousands of Sluissi and now fate has turned on him. It was only right that at least he can die an honorable death on the battlefield. He swore in the next life he would come back and take revenge on all those who had caused him to betray his people. Garruk cursed at Dalfarus and the Emperor as a blinding wave of white light engulfed him.

**XXXXXX**

**Eriadu City**

"Are you always this slow?" Zen asked as he paced around the room. He was getting more impatient by the second.

"Why don't you try this then?" Kristina shot back, annoyed at his constant questioning. The file was uploading to a data disc at 95%.

"The Sith probably already broke through the first line by now," Zen said. "That might give us an advantage in escaping."

The transfer reached a hundred percent and Kristina quickly pulled the disc from the computer. The alarms were going off in all directions and guards seemed to be shouting something about the governor, which meant Neo and Marcus was probably in trouble. As they ran out of the room, several guards who was about to run upstairs suddenly turned around. Both Zen and Kristina quickly pulled out their lightsabers and deflected the blasts. Several guards went down but the rest hid behind the walls and continued fire. It was obvious they were trying to stall them while troops from the surrounding area are being summoned. Zen reached out into the Force and pulled the ceiling down, crushing all the guards that were shooting. But this only attracted the attention of others and more guards raced towards them. Zen grabbed Kristina by the wrist and the two ran.

"Do you think Neo and Marcus made it?" Kristina asked as they made their way towards the kitchen.

"I would like to think so," Zen replied. He cut down a droid that stood in his way and kicked open the door leading to the service shaft. A few minutes later they reached the kitchen. Neo and Marcus joined them shortly afterwards, although not in the condition Zen expected them to be in. Marcus was covering his stomach as blood leaked out and he was limping. Neo was helping him move and firing back the pursuing guard at the same time. Kristina quickly covered them while Zen helped his two comrades out. Once safely hidden in a storage shed outside the Palace, they began going over what had happened.

"The pig's well protected," Neo said bitterly. "As soon as we walked onto the floor his guards started shooting. We managed to kill his guards but Marcus was wounded."

"So what happened to the Governor?" Kristina asked.

"The coward tried to hide behind a guard but my grenade killed both of them. We had to get out of there before more guards arrive," Neo replied.

Zen meanwhile was trying to cure Marcus. His magic was incomplete and only worked on bruises or cuts, not blaster hits. It was too late to save Marcus; without the proper treatments soon he would bleed to death. Zen knew it was wrong but they had to leave Marcus here. Shouts can be heard outside and the guards were closing in. "We have to go," the assassin said.

"We can't leave Marcus behind," Neo replied stubbornly but Marcus shook his head.

"Go-go my brother," he said hoarsely. "T-theres nothing you-you c-can do for me."

"I'm not leaving you here Marcus. Not after everything we've been through."

Marcus smiled weakly and shook his head again. "I'll-I'll cover you. Trust me Neo I-I won't let them capture me alive."

It took Zen and Kristina both several minutes to pry Neo away from Marcus. They slid under a hole in the metal fence and disappeared into the refugee camp surrounding the Palace. The guards ran out of the compound and began interrogating the surrounding refugees. Troops would've cordoned off this entire area so it is virtually impossible to escape right now but suddenly a powerful explosion shook the ground. Marcus must've detonated the grenades he had on him since the explosion took place inside the Palace. While the guards were distracted by the explosion, Zen, Kristina, and Neo slipped away. And they ran, in their "borrowed" Republic uniforms, no one suspected them. The Sith must've broken through the defenses because almost everyone was in a panic. Some troops were staying behind to engage but the majority was fleeing away. In the confusion it was impossible to tell friend from foe and this suited them well. Within an hour, they had cleared the downtown and made it into the war zone.

Neo for the most part was quite the whole journey. The loss of Marcus struck him hard but he held back the tears. To him Marcus didn't sacrifice himself; the Republic had killed him. All along the way, Zen could tell Neo was formulating some new plan to strike back at the Republic. But anything against the Republic would have to be put off until later, first they needed to get out of the city then meet with the rest of Green Front in the forest. And after that they would need to plot out their next moves. Their trek was cut short when they heard the rumbling of a tank coming their way. Quickly and stealthily, the three of them dashed into an abandoned apartment building and hid behind the counter. A large battle tank rumbled by, followed by what sounded like a pair of walkers and several chattering soldiers. Shots were heard in the distance and the group outside hastened. After the sound of the tank disappeared, Zen, Kristina, and Neo got up from the counter and went outside. Most of the surrounding buildings were abandoned and some were in flames. Debris littered the street but it was otherwise deserted. It wasn't safe to travel in open territory because there was always the risk of being spotted by a fighter, gunship, or probe so the group slipped into a dark alley.

Zen pulled out a compass and checked it. "We should be heading east. Keep going this direction and we'll reach the forest."

"Alright," Kristina replied. "Let's go."

**XXXXXX**

Akku held his breathe as a column of tanks passed beside him. He was pressed up against the wall of narrow alley, the closeness of the buildings providing the darkness he needed to hide himself. Following the tanks were lines of troops, marching carefully in perfect unison and without a word. Then behind them came the walkers and the heavy artillery. After fleeing the first line, Akku had disappeared among the thousands of panicking troops. Even the Jedi assigned to keep order were nowhere to be seen. Akku guessed that either they had been killed or had fled as well. With the line breeched and collapsing, the Sith made their move into the interior of the city, engaging the Republic in brutal building to building combat and fighting over ever inch of land. Shots and explosions were heard all over the place and gunships constantly flew overhead.

Akku never considered himself to be a coward but sometimes it is better to live and fight another day rather than dying. Dying right now would be useless, not when the Republic needed every fighter she can muster. So after the last of the walkers faded into the distance, Akku bolted east. There was a large forest in that direction and it would be the perfect hiding spot while he assessed the situation and try to find a way off this planet. As he ran, he was suddenly aware that he was being followed. Turning around, Akku found two Sith assassin tailing him, each had his lightsaber ready. Akku Force-pushed one of them away as he engaged the second in lightsaber combat. The Master of the Order was trained in all six forms of saber combat and was more than a match for the assassin. Akku struck the Sith's lightsaber aside and sliced open his neck. As the assassin fell to the ground, the other one got up and charged. Akku threw his lightsaber and Force-pushed again. The Sith managed to jump over the flying lightsaber but didn't have time to dodge the Force Push. He flew backwards and was impaled by a large steel rod that had jutted out from one of the destroyed buildings. Smiling to himself, Akku stowed his lightsaber and continued on.

**XXXXXX**

"Legion 44 and 45 are advancing to the city center from the east. Legion 37 is advancing from the west," an officer clad in green uniform said to a group huddled around a holoprojector displaying a small map of the city with colored dots. Red represented the Empire and green represented the Republic. "Special commando squad Delta is approaching the Governor's Palace through the sewers. We project an end to the battle in three days."

"Not good enough commander," Dalfarus said from the back of the room. The officers, surprised at the Sith Lord's sudden visit, snapped to the attention and saluted. Dalfarus chuckled as he walked into the hastily constructed bunker that served as the forward command post.

"My lord we are surprised to see you," someone from the group said. "We were worried that you might have gone down with the _Terminator_."

Without warning, the man suddenly dropped to the ground as if he had a seizure. Later autopsy would reveal he had died from hemorrhaging as all his blood vessels exploded. Dalfarus walked over the dead body and stopped before the projector. "How many men have we lost?" he asked as he studied the map. No one answered. "Who is in charge here?"

"I-I am sir," a short man in a gray uniform volunteered in a low voice full of fear. Suddenly he dropped to the ground as well.

"Since none of you have reported I will start you off," the Sith Lord said. "Thirty thousand troops dead. A hundred thousand wounded. Two hundred tanks, three hundred walkers, ninety gunships, fourteen bombers, six mobile artillery units, and a hundred assault droids all destroyed since the offensive began three hours ago."

"My lord you can't expect a battle of this magnitude to not have casualties," an officer protested. "This is the best-." He never finished his sentence.

"A brave man," Dalfarus observed as he looked at the third casualty in the bunker. "But his bravery misplaced. Starting from this moment, I want you to plan this battle more intelligently and keep our casualties low. You all received the best training so I think you should know what to do."

The men breathed a sigh of relief as they found out they won't be executed today. They quickly resumed their normal duties, although many were uncomfortable working with a Sith Lord watching over them. Dalfarus for the most part thought this was rather amusing. He wasn't here to execute his officers but he did want to get his point across. He wanted minimum casualties for the battle and he thought he made that point clear. _"Apparently not,"_ he thought to himself. "Have you any prisoners?" Dalfarus suddenly asked out loud, taking everyone by surprise.

"Well yes!" the new commander replied. "Hundreds in fact. We were just about to send them to the detention camp."

"Any Jedi?" Dalfarus asked.

"No sir, just normal combatants and refugees," the commander said. "Would your lordship care to review?"

"No," Dalfarus said. "Kill them all."

**XXXXXX**

It was sunset when Zen, Kristina, and Neo made it to the outskirts of the city. Most of the Sith troops were fighting in the interior and so there were few patrols here. That doesn't mean they are clear yet, as whatever patrols here might still find him. Also Zen had noticed the Sith increased their use of probe droids to monitor areas they can't afford to send troops to guard. They slipped past several small checkpoints and came to a small creek flowing towards a lake in the east. The water was black and occasionally vehicle parts and pieces of debris could be seen floating downstream. Following the flow of the stream, the group made their way east. Night provided some better cover although they had to hide behind bushes and trees to avoid probe droids floating around a couple of times. Occasionally they would pass a squadron of five to ten soldiers patrolling an area but they decided to walk around rather than engage in a fight and attract attention. And it almost saved their life. One particular patrol consisted of only two Sith warriors and Zen was tempted to kill them. It was after Kristina dragged him away did he find out that the two warriors were followed by five Sith war droids, which would've made short work of him.

By the time they reached the edges of the lake, the moon was high up in the sky. Like the stream, the lake was stained with black oil and filled with garbage and debris. Water going ships can no longer traverse across so the nearby inhabitants use air barges to ferry people across. When the Sith took control of the area, they tightened restrictions on travel but most people still find ways to smuggle passengers and supplies across. But traveling at night was simply just too dangerous and so the group decided to stay in one of the nearby houses for the night. Zen introduced themselves as Jedis, who are rather popular around the area and their host graciously invited them in. After gulping down a quick hot dinner, Zen, Kristina, and Neo took a shower for the first time in weeks and bid each other goodnight. Zen and Kristina shared the basement while Neo decided to sleep by himself in the barn.

"Do you think he is alright?" Kristina asked in a whisper.

"Yeah he'll be fine," Zen replied, already falling asleep. "I mean he did lose a close friend….."

Kristina sighed and closed her eyes.

**XXXXXX**

"My lord is it time?" a man kneeling on the floor said to a projection of Dalfarus.

"Almost my friend, almost," Dalfarus replied. "I have new orders for you. You will go for Kristina only, do you understand?"

"Yes my lord, it will be done," the man said, bowing his head down.

"I will contact you again when it is time to execute the plan," the Sith Lord said and disappeared.

* * *

_Sorry for the slow update, been really busy lately. But keep the reviews coming! :)_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Outskirts of Eriadu City**

Akku awoke from an uncomfortable sleep in a burnt out warehouse. The entire place smelled of smoke and Akku felt a bit sick. The sun was already high up in the sky and it was quite peaceful outside, as opposed to yesterday when explosions and blaster fire could be heard in almost every direction. Akku guessed that the fighting must have either moved into the center of the city or the city had already fallen. Either way it was not wise to linger here and so the Jedi quickly moved out. Akku had not had anything to eat or drink for almost a day now but he was trained to endure hunger and thirst. He knows there are villages in the forest still sympathetic to the Republic cause and there he will find some means of contacting Coruscant. He made sure all traces of his stay was covered up and proceeded to leave the warehouse complex. He followed a small river of black water downstream and came to the shores of a lake. Large houses dominated the shores, each with a garage to house airships to cross the debris filled lake. He could find a ride from one of the inhabitants, but decided against it for fears of attracting attention.

Instead Akku walked on further along the shores, trying to think of some alternative ways of crossing. The lake was huge and so swimming across would be impossible. The debris and thick, oily water made boat rides impossible as well. The only way would be to use an airship but where can he find one? That question was answered when he saw two Sith soldiers chatting underneath the wings of a gunship. Smiling to himself, Akku walked up to the guards, purposely revealing himself. The guards looked young and inexperienced, and they shook as they pointed their guns at the Jedi.

"Stop!" one of the yelled. "Put your hands in the air!"

Akku complied with the soldier and threw both hands up. The lead soldier nodded and the second soldier slowly approached the Jedi. Then suddenly, Akku pushed out with both hands, knocking the guards into the water. They screamed and flapped around helplessly as the oily water trapped them. Akku gave them a nod as he climbed into the gunship and activated the controls. As the ship took to the skies, Akku activated the autopilot as he went into the main cabin and searched for supplies. He smiled as he found a canteen of water and some canned food and quickly went to work fixing himself a snack.

**XXXXXX**

**Unknown Location**

Like a beast he tore through his victim's mind, delving ever deeper into the realm of the unconscious. He read the mind as if it was a book, learning all about the man's thoughts, his secrets, his actions, and his fears. In a single minute he had found out all he needed to know about this man and there was nothing of interest. Growling to himself, Morphis tossed the helpless body across the room and it landed with a soft thud. Morphis got up from his throne and paced around the chamber. It was a large chamber, big enough and tall enough for a shuttle to fit inside. Such a splendid hall however, was empty, save for a large throne on the far end of it and statues of tall men holding torches. Each torch was lit by a strange green fire, giving the chamber an eerie green glow. The environment suited Morphis well; he preferred the dark and the cold. It keeps him awake and gives him closer focus on the Force.

He looked at the unconscious body of the man on the floor and sighed. The man had been a servant of Dalfarus on the _Terminator_; Morphis had kidnapped him before the ship exploded. He had hoped to gain some insight about Dalfarus's plan from the servant's mind but it seems that the Sith Lord is smart enough not to tell servants anything. Even though Morphis had taught Dalfarus everything the Sith Lord currently knows, Dalfarus has recently began shielding himself from Morphis's control and probing. It was becoming increasingly difficult for Morphis to access Dalfarus's mind and Morphis needed to guide Dalfarus. The war between the Jedi and the Sith is of no concern to him, even Dalfarus's schemes is not important. What Morphis is really interested is an ancient power beyond anyone's imagination. Morphis seeks a key to a long forgotten prophecy of power and riches. After centuries of searching for "The One", Morphis had finally found him in the form of Zen Tian. But the terms of the prophecy forbids him from touching or coming into contact with The One, at least not yet. It was frustrating, having what you want in front of your eyes but not being able to speak to him. So close yet so far.

Morphis lifted the body of the unconscious servant and kissed him. Instantly the life drained from the body and it shriveled up to just brown skin and bones. As Morphis broke the kiss, faint silver vapors could be seen leaving the servant's mouth and entering his. He had just absorbed the life force of a living being. Morphis is old, tens of thousands of years old. He survived this long by feeding on the life force of others. It gave him strength, focus, and energy. As long as he has a fresh supply of life force, Morphis can regenerate and never truly die. Yet what was the purpose? Morphis had spent millenniums searching for something he can't even touch. He had seen his wife and children die of age while he maintained his youth, the terms of his magic preventing him to "un-aging" them. He had had hundreds of minions and seen thousands of people die, all for the sake of prophecy known to only a handful in the whole galaxy if not the universe.

He was consumed by power and greed, corrupted long ago and now unable to break free. Besides it is too late to do anything anyways. He is already within an arm's reach of his objective and all he needed was a little push. Morphis looked at the dead body and sighed. "You are just like your master," he said to the servant, "defiant to the end."

**XXXXXX**

**Outskirts of Eriadu City**

By the time the three of them woke up, it was already lunchtime. Their host has been kind enough to provide them with food and arranged a ride for them to cross the lake. Zen thanked the couple that owned the house and left some Republic credits on their living room table. It was useless now that the Sith controlled half the planet but it showed his gratitude. The ride that would ferry them across the lake was an old airship, its faded paint a reminder of its former glory. The airship had once been a small passenger vessel, but has been converted into a transport by the new owners. Zen, Kristina, and Neo hid in the smallest cargo compartment as the pilot brought the airship into the sky. The half hour long ride was mostly silent, as the roar of the engines drowned any attempts of a conversation. Despite an increase in patrols, the ride was rather smooth and judging by the engine activity they did not stop. The three of them got out of the hold as the ship rocked and the engines died down. The pilot (a short and nervous looking man) quickly opened the outer doors and beckoned them to leave. Zen thanked the pilot and helped his two comrades off the airship. The forest lay before them, a vast expanse of trees untouched by the war. They had finally reached safety; or so they thought.

As the airship pulled up for a return ride, it suddenly exploded in midair. Zen spun around and saw two gunships coming their way. But rather than firing, the gunships dropped two droids from its hull and disappeared. Zen looked at the droids and frowned. He would've preferred the gunships. The droids were humanoid in appearance, although it was twice as tall as an average human. Lightsaber resistant vibroblades were attached to its arms and underneath that the droid sported two smaller arms with repeating blasters attached. Small rocket launchers were fixed to its shoulders and the droid had two "eyes", one giant one where the head should be and another in the stomach. These droids, more commonly known as "Stalkers", are designed to kill Jedis. And they are hard to destroy.

Neo lured one of the Stalkers away from the group and into the trees. The droid fired its shoulder rockets, sending the nearest trees to the ground and creating a small clearing. Neo pulled out a tiny blaster and fired, but it had no effect on the heavily armored droid. The droid fired its blasters, forcing Neo to jump and roll to avoid being hit. His blaster ran out of power quickly but the droid remained undamaged, firing its own blasters and using its sword arms to cut down trees in the way. As Neo ran, he suddenly tripped on a tree root and fell. The droid was pointing its blaster at him and ready to fire by the time he turned himself already. Neo closed his eyes and prepared for the worst but suddenly he heard explosions. Opening his eyes, he saw the droid falling to the ground in flames as multiple rockets flew at it. Men armed with rocket launchers and blasters descended from the trees and cheered. Neo smiled; his men are here.

Half a mile away, Zen and Kristina was locked in combat with the droid. The vibroblades were nothing but it was the repeating blasters that caused the most trouble. They couldn't get near it without being hit. The droid fired its rockets, foiling another attempt by Zen to charge at it. As Zen fell back, Kristina charged but the droid beat her back with its blade. Zen realized that in order to defeat the droid, he would need to use the terrain to his advantage. He jumped, summoning the power of the Force to propel him higher than an average person. He landed on a branch of a massive tree, directly above the droid. The droid was too busy dealing with Kristina to notice him and he jumped again, this time landing on top of the droid. Zen plunged his lightsaber into the eye of the droid, expecting it to collapse but to his surprise the droid began spinning in an effort to toss him off.

"ZEN THERE IS ANOTHER EYE!" Kristina shouted and Zen understood. If he wanted to kill the droid he would need to destroy the other eye as well. He jumped off the droid and landed next to Kristina, beckoning her to attack. Kristina pulled a tree from the ground using the Force and lifted it to the sky. Then she slammed the tree into the droid, causing it lose balance. While the droid was calculating damage, Zen charged and sliced the right leg off the droid, causing it to ground. Kristina jumped onto the stomach and stabbed the smaller eye. Both of them moved away as the droid exploded. Another successful kill.

Behind them, Neo led a group of men towards them and Zen recognized them to be members of the Green Front who had fled Eriadu City. "Looks like you have things under control," Neo said, smiling for the first time since Marcus died.

"I always have things under control," Zen smiled back. It was good to be with his comrades again. "I think we should go. It's not safe here and we all need some rest."

"Not so fast Zen," Neo replied, his men blocking the road. "We have some unfinished business we need to discuss."

"What do you mean?" Zen asked, puzzled by Neo's change of behavior. Kristina suddenly dropped to the ground unconscious and Zen moved to help her. He didn't realize a man had raised the butt of his blaster until it was too late. Zen was struck in the back of the head with the rifle and he fell to the ground. The last thing he saw before consciousness slipped out of him was Neo and his men walking away with the unconscious Kristina.

**XXXXXX**

**Eriadu City**

The battle was not over yet. Even though the bulk of the Republic army had been destroyed, splinter groups continued to fight on. Every building, every inch of land was worth fighting for and bodies of dead soldiers were piling up everywhere. The Eriadu City railway station changed hands five times and the Governors Palace ten. His commanders had underestimated the Republic army's strength and it was only after a couple more executions did Dalfarus finally bring his casualties down. He made a mental note to bring his own command crew next time, not these overpaid and lazy graduates of prestigious academies. His men learned about the Galaxy by living it, these men learned about the Galaxy by reading it. Such difference can decide the fate of a campaign.

Dalfarus stood outside the forward command bunker, listening to the sound of sporadic blaster fire around the city. He could smell victory and he liked it. The Emperor would be very pleased with his results. He was joined by another Inquisitor bearing even better news: his agents have captured Kristina.

"Good. Very good," Dalfarus said. Neo has done well. He had kept his cover and gained Zen's trust and when the time was right, he made his move. "Bring her to the _Providence_ and lock her in the most secure cell. You will reward the men well then kill them all, silently and quietly."

"Even Neo?" the Inquisitor asked.

"No, Neo cannot die. Have him interrogate the girl for information after she awakens," Dalfarus replied.

"And what of Zen Tian? What if he comes looking?"

"Have him look. I rather like this game of hide and seek. It serves my plan well. Prepare my shuttle; I shall depart this planet tomorrow for the _Providence_."

**XXXXXX**

**Forest outside Eriadu City**

Akku ran down the small trail in the forest, using the Force as a guide in his search for civilization. The forest is a haven for smugglers, criminals, bandits, resistance fighters, and most recently Republic troops. However these people have set up an elaborate system of defenses and traps to protect themselves from raiding parties. Finding them won't be easy but with the Force, Akku was confident he can locate a settlement. As he ran, he became aware that someone, or something, was following him. Akku stopped and turned around and saw nothing expect the branches shaking from the wind. Gunfire and explosions could be heard in the background. _"I must be paranoid,"_ he thought to himself as he continued running.

"You are not, Akku Tejji," a mysterious voice said. Akku froze and his hand moved towards his lightsaber. He whipped it out and turned around but again there was nothing there.

"I need some sleep," he muttered to himself as he turned back but suddenly there was a man standing in front of him. He was a tall man, with long silver hair, glowing red eyes, and a black coat.

"What you need to know is The Truth," the figure replied, smiling.

"You are Sith," Akku said angrily, bringing his lightsaber up in a defensive position. The man laughed and casually waved his hand. To Akku's surprise, his lightsaber deactivated and dropped to the ground.

"I am not Sith," the man laughed. "But neither am I Jedi. I am not a friend or a foe. I have no interest in your war. You may call me Morphis."

"What do you want Morphis?"

"To tell you The Truth."

"Well I'm listening."

Morphis chuckled. "You are familiar with Infinity and the Infinite Prophecy are you not?"

"No. If you mean the Infinite Empire I'm familiar with that."

"No of course not. Few know of this and those who do are too afraid to speak of it."

"Why is that?" Akku asked. He couldn't believe he was listening to this. It sounded like a children's story.

"Because there it can corrupt even the purest of souls."

"Then I guess your soul is not pure."

Morphis ignored him and went on, "Anyways, long ago, when the galaxy first formed, there existed a powerful and advanced species of people. We do not know their origins, or their true name, just that they are called the Infinite Ones. They had discovered the Force long before anyone else and had mastered it to such degree that they can create and destroy life with just a mere thought. They taught what they knew to the still primitive species of the galaxy and eventually created Infinity, a vast empire that encompassed nearly the entire galaxy. The early species worshipped the Infinites as gods and many of their temples can still be found in the Unknown Regions."

"So your telling me that these 'Infinite Ones' were responsible for technology and the Force?" Akku asked. He scoffed at the idea; it just couldn't be true.

"Yes," Morphis replied. "After three thousand years, some within the Infinites grew tired of their role as caretakers of the galaxy; they wanted conquest, control, and totally domination of the entire universe. They developed a secret magical weapon, a weapon so powerful that when cast, it can suck the Force dry and cause the collapse of entire solar systems. This weapon was known as "The Plague" and it caused so much destruction that some within the movement began questioning whether it was the right thing to do. As Infinity broke down into civil war, a splinter group of the Ones that created The Plague took away the alter and the scrolls needed to cast the spell and hid it in a secret place protected by the most powerful enchantments.

Without The Plague the rebels were defeated, but the damage done to the galaxy had brought it back to its primitive state. With their population dwindling to just mere thousands, the surviving Infinites fled the galaxy, but not before leaving a prophecy. The Infinite Prophecy states that one day, a descendant of the Infinite Ones will return. He will unleash The Plague and bring darkness to the galaxy, ushering in a Dark Age unseen for millenniums.

You should know the history after that, the Rakata's Infinite Empire was based off of Infinity. The Infinites' teachings ultimately led to the creation of the Sith and the Jedi."

"What a lovely story," Akku said, clapping. "If these Infinites know that someone will return and use The Plague again, why not just destroy it? Why bother hiding it and making a prophecy?"

"The prophecy also another descendent of the Infinites will rise and battle for control of The Plague. Only when both are dead can The Plague truly be destroyed," Morphis said seriously. "We cannot alter the past, but the future is still yet to happen."

"And you are telling me this because…?"

"The Sith is already on the move. Dalfarus is looking for the one who will unleash The Plague as we speak. You know who The One is; Zen Tian. Heard of him haven't you?"

"The assassin? How can he be 'The One'?" Akku asked in disbelief.

"But he is. If the Sith gains control of The Plague the consequences would be unthinkable," Morphis replied. "I need your help. You must find Zen Tian and kill him before it is too late. I will look for the other in case you fail to…neutralize him."

Akku opened his mouth to speak but Morphis stopped him. "Remember what I have told you," he said. "This choice is yours. But think carefully, as your actions will change the galaxy as we know it. Whether it is for good or for evil is up to you."

And with that, a silver mist surrounded the two of them and Morphis disappeared. Akku felt extremely drowsy and collapsed. When he awoke from his slumber, he was in a settlement of refugees, his lightsaber by his side.

* * *

_I appreciate all the reviews, keep them coming!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Imperial cruiser **_**Providence**_**, orbiting planet Eriadu**

Kristina tried to move but couldn't. She was vaguely aware of her surroundings, a box…no, a room. A cold and windowless room illuminated only by one light on the ceiling. Her head was pounding and her breath was uneven, the room looked like a blur and she could hear echoes of voices. A figure seemed to be standing in front of her, although she couldn't judge the distance due to vision distortion. They must have drugged her after putting her here. However soon her thoughts returned to her and she began taking in the situation. She was a cell, a prison cell of some kind and judging by the cold she was on a ship. The cell was probably built to hold a Jedi, as she felt no connections with the Force here. She tried moving her arms and legs but found them bound by silver cuffs attached to the ceiling by chains. The pieces began coming back to her; she had been in the forest with Zen when Neo and his men came up. There was a short conversation and then everything went black. When she woke she was here. Neo…

"Glad you're awake," a voice said and Kristina turned her attention to the front for the first time. A man was standing there, it was Neo. Kristina almost couldn't recognize him in his Imperial Intelligence uniform. Zen had taught Kristina all about Sith uniforms and ranks and it seemed that Neo was wearing the uniform of a Colonel.

"You traitor," she said viciously, tugging on her binds in a desperate attempt to break free.

"I wouldn't tug on them so hard," Neo said, completely ignoring her accusations. "You'll only hurt yourself. This chamber was built to hold Jedi, so don't try any of your Force tricks."

"YOU TRAITOR!" Kristina screamed, her body thrashing like a wild animal.

Neo laughed cruelly. "Traitor?" he asked. "I was never with you in the first place. The Empire is where my allegiance is at and the Empire is where my allegiance always will be."

Kristina calmed down a bit but the anger was still seething inside her. She had been betrayed by a friend, no, a person she thought was her friend. Neo took advantage of this moment of silence and continued on. "You are lucky to be alive you know, my original orders were to kill you."

"Then why don't you do it? I'd rather be dead than be talking to a traitor," Kristina said savagely.

"Because you are of use to my master," Neo replied calmly. "You see you and Zen shares a bond; if one of you is in the danger, the other will know. Now I am no expert in the Force but I have come to notice this after spending some time with you. And my master the all powerful and wise Lord Dalfarus has indeed confirmed this."

Dalfarus. Why did that name sound so familiar? "What does that have anything to do with you bringing me here?" Kristina asked.

"I'm getting to that. My master is only interested in Zen, for what purpose I do not know but he wants him for something. Now Zen is a powerful being and it would take more than the conventional method to catch him. And so my master came up with this genius plan. To use you as bait to lure him to a special location built for this matter."

"You animal, you're all animals," Kristina said but Neo walked up to her and slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. It stunned her for a few seconds.

"You can cooperate and send out a distress signal to Zen," Neo said, "or you can resist and suffer the consequences."

Kristina tasted blood in her mouth. "I'll...never...cooperate...with...you," she said slowly.

"I knew you were going to say that," Neo smiled. He retreated a bit and knocked three times on the wall. Kristina didn't notice there was a hidden door there until it hissed opened. Out came a droid, brown in color with a round head filled with red dots. The body was covered with arms and each arm had a different torture device. There were needles, tweezers, knives, electric prods, brands, whips, and just about every single tools of torture imaginable. For the first time since she got here, Kristina felt afraid. She was alone, trapped and completely cut off from the Force, and now she had to face this thing.

"We have every effective ways of making you talk," Neo said evilly as the droid approached her. The sound proof doors blocked Kristina's screams as the droid began working on her. Onboard the rest of the ship, everything was normal.

**XXXXXX**

**Unknown village, Planet Eriadu**

Zen woke up to a bright beam of sunlight and the sound of birds chirping. He felt hot and lightheaded but managed to drag himself up from the bed. Wait bed? The last thing he remembered he was in the forest, how did he end up on the bed? He looked around at his surroundings; he was in a room, probably part of a larger building. The room had a bed, a nightstand, a desk, several chairs, a window, and a door that led somewhere. The entire building seemed to be made out of wood and judging by the rustling of the leaves outside he was in the forest. Some villagers (or another group) must have found him and brought him here. He looked around for Kristina but she was not here. And then he remembered.

Neo, Neo had betrayed him and took Kristina. All this time and Zen never realized that Neo was working for another party, probably the Sith. No wonder those damned Stalkers found them so fast. Zen felt betrayed and anger began rising in him. He needed to find a way out; there was no way to find out which faction these villagers belonged to and Zen wasn't going to wait for them to execute him if they worked for the Sith. The walls were wooden, which meant a powerful Force Push or Wave would be sufficient enough to knock them down. But where was his lightsaber? Zen looked around but could not find it. Whoever found him must've taken it away.

As Zen debated his next move, the door opened and an elderly man walked in, carrying a tray with steaming soup and a glass of mysterious liquid. "Ah I see you are well," the old man smiled as he set the tray down on the table.

"Who are you? What is this place? And how did I get here?" the questions flew out of Zen's mouth before he had time to think.

"My name is Tenru and I am elder of this village, the village of Sorpis. A group of young men from the village was searching for weapons when they discovered you lying on the ground with a wound to your head" the old man Tenru explained. "We brought you here and nursed you back to health."

"Thanks I guess," Zen said, rubbing the back of his head. He still felt a twinge of pain. "How long have I been out?"

"We found you yesterday and you kept sleeping until now," Tenru replied. "My physicians tell me you are just too exhausted."

"You sure got that right," Zen thought out loud. Tenru smiled and handed him to tray of food.

"Eat," he ordered. "It will restore your energy. The drink is made from some local fruits we plant here and is very healthy."

Zen suddenly remembered how hungry he was and gulped down the soup and the drink. To his surprise he instantly felt stronger. "Thanks again," he said gratefully. "May I ask where exactly we are? Or rather where is Sorpis located?"

"We are deep in the forest," Tenru explained. "Before the invasion, the Governors considered us barbarians and never bothered sending his men to root us out. We have been living in harmony with the land for generations. Even with the invasion, the Empire won't dare to venture this far. Tales of wild beasts and savage men scares them."

Zen thought to himself silently. The Governor had indeed warned them of savages that lived in the forest but Neo had told him they were just descendants of the original settlers before industrialization began. Neo. Every single time that name comes into his head Zen becomes angry. He still hasn't gotten over the biggest betrayal yet.

"Enough about us," Tenru said warmly. "Tell me a bit about yourself young man."

"Well I…" Zen said, not knowing where to begin. "I was a Jedi, fighting in Eriadu City." It was mostly true, except the Jedi part.

"Ah, speaking of Jedi," Tenru said, pulling a lightsaber from inside his robes. "I think this belongs to you."

Zen took the lightsaber gratefully and weighed it with his hands. It was indeed his old lightsaber and having it back made him feel complete. "I can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me. If you need me to do anything, I'll be glad to."

Tenru laughed and shook his head. "No son, helping out a fellow in need has always been one of our sacred codes. You need not worry about us, be on your way. I know you probably have more to worry about. We can defend ourselves."

Zen nodded. If the elder didn't want his help, he won't force him. "It seems I have one more favor to ask…"

"Don't worry," Tenru replied. "A starfighter is waiting for you."

**XXXXXX**

**Imperial cruiser **_**Providence**_**, orbiting planet Eriadu**

Dalfarus sped out of the shuttle before the commanders of the ship could even open their mouths to welcome him. He wasn't interested in their flowery words, no, he was interesting in Kristina. Morphis had been right; Kristina _is_ the key to capturing Zen. But not yet, he needed to send Zen on a quest to find the girl so in the process he can prove himself worthy and home in on a few skills Dalfarus seeks in an apprentice. Radyk had been a powerful asset when he lived; even when his usefulness was over he was nonetheless a skilled fighter. But Dalfarus isn't trying to have Zen match Radyk, he wanted Zen to go above Radyk. He wanted a ruthless killing machine who can murder with efficiency and total obedience. Someone to root the Imperial court of his enemies and one day install him as the Emperor. But all those would have to wait; he can't afford to get carried away by dreams.

Dalfarus arrived in the prison control center of the ship. Here cramped inside this tiny room was a massive screen displaying hundreds of live video feed from the prison cells within the ship. Opposite of the screen was a massive display of the prison layout, with each cell either red or green. Red cells indicate the cell was filled while green indicated it was empty. The rest of the room was dominated by computers, screens, displays, and controls. Two extremely powerful droids operated the entire room. "Prisoner 466," Dalfarus told the droid, "arrived here this morning."

"446, 446," the droid repeated, typing away on the screen. He scrolled down a list of prisoners held in the ship until he came to Number 446. "Kristina Loren, female, Jedi. Cell number 17."

Dalfarus walked up to another screen and tapped a few buttons. Immediately the huge screen displaying pictures of individual cells turned into a single live feed of Cell 17. Kristina was there, suspended spread-eagled in the middle of the cell. She appeared to be only semi-conscious as a torture droid stood over her. Dalfarus switched on the sound.

"You can make this stop you know," Neo's voice flowed through the speaker. The droid extended an arm to touch her and Kristina jolted.

She made no reply and only whimpered, bringing what looked like another shock from the droid's arm.

"No I think we need to go further," Neo said. "Up the dosage and use the tweezers."

The droid nodded and stabbed Kristina's arm with a needle, injecting her with an unknown drug. Then the droid lifted its tweezer arm and gently pinched her stomach. Instantly she screamed and tears began rolling down her face.

"More?" Neo asked. "So be it."

The droid lifted it's whip and began whipping her stomach and arms. It was more than the poor girl can take and after a few bloody screams (that forced Dalfarus to turn down the volume), she lost consciousness. Dalfarus left the control room and met Neo outside her cell. The Imperial Intelliegence Colonel bowed as he saw the Sith Lord coming.

"Making any progress?" Dalfarus asked.

"No my lord, she is quite stubborn," Neo replied. "When she wakes up I will try again."

"No…." Dalfarus said. "No, conventional methods of torture won't work on her. Only mind torture will. When she wakes, call in an Inquisitor."

"It will be done my lord," Neo said and bowed again as Dalfarus retreated.

Neo watched as Dalfarus disappeared down the hall and quickly called over a servant. "I want an Inquisitor here and I want him here now."

The servant bowed and retreated, leaving Neo standing alone in the hallway. He returned to the cell and ordered the droid to keep shocking Kristina with bolts of electricity until she wakes up. Soon the Inquisitor arrived and the two of them waited patiently as Kristina slowly began to wake. Neo looked at the Inquisitor and nodded, giving an approval to begin the procedure. He did not care what kind of methods the Inquisitor used, as long as it yielded results. As the Inquisitor got to work, Neo ordered a servant to conjure up a chair for him to sit and enjoy the show. Things were about to get interesting.

**XXXXXX**

**Morphis's Lair, Unknown Location**

Morphis materialized back into his castle and burst out laughing. His latest incursion into the galactic realm has yielded great results. Akku might have said he didn't believe in Infinity but Morphis could tell that his thoughts said otherwise. The look on the Jedi's face was enough to convince anyone that the story hit him hard. No, not a story, it was the truth. A truth with a certain bit of weight attached to it. Soon the young Jedi would be racing across the galaxy searching for Zen Tian while Morphis initiates the next phase of his plan: to have Dalfarus send Zen to search for the sacred altars to cast The Plague.

"Why send someone to kill Zen Tian if you need him?" a voice said. A glowing image of a young woman with long silver hair, big eyes, and smooth skin appeared in front of Morphis. Her pale skin and the white robes she wore made her look like an angel.

"Julia," Morphis muttered as he walked towards the image. He reached out a hand to grab her but she seemed distant. No matter how close he walked, she was also distant.

"Why go through all the trouble?" the voice smoke again.

"You don't understand," Morphis said. "Akku will not succeed; his attempt on Zen's life will only make Zen stronger. To use The Plague one must master the Force to its highest degree."

"Like you?" Julia said. "How many day and nights did you spend meditating? How many hours did you spend pouring over your collections?"

"Stop it Julia," Morphis said threateningly.

"You never treated me like you promised. All you cared about was power," Julia taunted him. "All you ever wanted was power! Where is that power now Morphis?"

"Don't make me hurt you Julia," Morphis threatened.

"You already have hurt me Morphis," Julia replied, saddened by his words. She opened her robes and revealed a deep hole in her chest where her heart once was. "You killed me Morphis. You killed me because you were consumed by greed and trapped by your own arrogance. Your desire of power has costed you everything you used to hold dear in life."

"Is this why you have come?" Morphis said, defeated by Julia's words. "To mock me for all that I am not? To hold onto my past mistakes and haunt me forever?"

"Come to reality Morphis," Julia said. "Please, see the light."

"Tempt me not Julia," Morphis replied. "I gave you everything you ever wanted, be content!"

"All I ever wanted was your heart," Julia begged. "Please Morphis. Come with me, we can be together."

"You want my heart?" Morphis said angrily. He placed his hand on his chest and ripped out his heart. "You can have it."

An eerie silence fell between the two. Julia looked down and sighed. "I see now. You are just as arrogant and stubborn as the day I died. I thought there was still good in you Morphis, but I can see now that your desires for power has twisted your mind and soul and drove you to insanity. There is no hope in you anymore Morphis. You will die alone and broken, with no one to love and no one to love you."

"QUITE SHADE," Morphis roared. A gust of wind blew towards the image of Julia, blowing out ever torch within the hall. Morphis rose into the air, his eyes turning red and his voice demonic. "You are wrong. You have always been wrong. I am now the most powerful being the galaxy, stronger than even the Sith Emperor himself. There is no one who can stand in my way. Soon young Zen will fall to the Dark Side and find the altar for me and then there shall be no one in the way of my domination. You have overstayed your welcome here Julia, BE GONE!" With that Morphis sent a wave of dark energy towards Julia. The shade screamed as it was enveloped by the wave and disappeared. As Morphis hovered above the ground looking at the spot where the image of Julia was, a new heart began forming inside his body.

* * *

_Sorry for the delay in posting. I got caught up with life and didn't have much time to write. Anyways the real story is now underway and I hope you guys enjoyed everything so far. Stay tuned for more actions and twists. I promise the next couple of chapters won't disappoint._

_I also want to thank you for all the reviews. I have been reading them and I appreciate the time you guys take to read my story. Thank you! :)_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Planet Sullust**

Akku walked down the streets Byllurun, his cloak and hood safely hiding his identity from passing people. After waking up in a strange village, Akku managed to procure a captured Sith starfighter from the locals and faked his way through the Sith blockade. Luckily the fighter had a small hyperdrive and managed to get him to Sullust, a planet near Eriadu that was still under Republic control. He immediately contacted Master Zym and told the Grand Master everything that had happened. He left out the part about Morphis and Infinity, instead telling Zym that Zen had stole key documents that are of critical concern to the Republic and received the Grand Master's blessing to hunt down the assassin. Akku also learned that the remaining Republic troops on Eriadu had surrendered and major combat operations had effectively ceased. Akku always knew that day would come, but he didn't expect it to fall so soon. And now that Eriadu has fallen, Sullust was surely next.

The locals also seem to share this concern. Akku has noticed an influx of armed militia patrolling the streets and construction crews setting up anti-ship batteries while Republic troops completely disappeared. It was not surprising; Zym had mentioned that the Republic had given up on this sector, pulling the majority of their forces to defend the Mid Rim. What Republic troops remain here are those who disobeyed Republic Command and decided to stay. They won't be enough however and Akku knew he had to get off the planet before it was too late. But first he needed to pay someone a visit. An old acquaintance, who had helped him track people before. They haven't contacted each other for years but Akku knew where the man was.

He turned down a dark alley and came to a stop in front of a wall. A Bothan man leaned casually against it, smoking a strange looking pipe. "Nice day isn't it?" the man said offhandedly.

"Indeed. And may the sun never shine here," Akku replied, smirking a bit.

The Bothan tapped five times on a single spot in the wall and the wall separated, revealing a passage close enough to fit only one person. Akku followed the passage inside and came to a door. He opened it and entered and the passage behind him closed. It was a club, where the rich and the elite gathered to party without being found. There were plenty of women; human, Twi'lek, and many other exotic species. Alcohol and drugs were abundant and a live band played in the center of the club. Two bouncers appeared out of the crowd to search him but Akku waved his hand and the bouncers allowed him to pass. He searched the club, looking for the man he knew and finally found him talking to a group of bounty hunters or mercenaries. He crept closer and heard their conversation.

"You promised," the lead bounty hunter, a Twi'lek, said. "We have to move it onto this planet now."

"Peace, peace my friend," the man laughed. "I'll get your cargo off planet; no worries."

"The invasion is set to begin in weeks, we cannot delay."

"I said no worries, I'll get it done."

At that moment, the man turned around and saw Akku. "Akku!" he exclaimed. "It has been too long." He quickly pulled Akku away from the group of menacing looking bounty hunters.

"Too long indeed," Akku replied. "How have you been Kane?"

"Good, good," the man named Kane chuckled. "What brings you to my remote sanctuary my friend?"

"I need your expertise once more," Akku replied, walking with him down the club. "I need to know who Darth Dalfarus is and about a man named Zen Tian."

Kane laughed. "You do ask for a lot don't you? This matter is better discussed in a more private location, perhaps we should talk about this in a more private location."

Kane led him to one of the many doors on the walls and pressed a strange looking glyph. Instantly the door opened and closed as soon as the two of them entered. Inside lay a gigantic lounge, complete with sofas, tea tables, bookshelves, statues, a fountain, and chandeliers. There were paintings of strange creatures and men Akku did not realize. This must be Kane's personal lounge.

"Now that we are alone," Kane said, "we can begin."

**Sith cruiser **_**Providence, **_**orbiting planet Eriadu**

Kristina's mind was a sea of agony. A snake was in there, reading all her thoughts. Her mind tried to shut it out but the snake was too strong and overpowered it. At first it wasn't too bad, just headaches and memories flooding her brain. But then it became worse as the snake planted images in her mind, images of cities burning, dead bodies on the ground, and the Jedi being slaughtered. Slowly the images became more gruesome, children being crushed by soldiers, women being decapitated, Zen being torn to pieces by a strange machine. She screamed in agony, begging it to stop.

"_You have to be strong Kristina,"_ a small voice in the back of her head said.

"_Why?"_ another voice replied. _"You can make this stop. All these images would go away if you just do what they want you to do."_

"_Traitor, be gone!"_ the other voice replied as more images flashed by.

"_I'm the traitor? You're the one keeping her hurt."_

"_I…I…"_

"_Don't deny it….telling her to keep on fighting. You know she's too weak. And you call me the traitor?"_

"_Don't listen to him Kristina!"_

"_Just give them what they want and the pain will stop. Come on Kristina, its your choice now."_

"_DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!"_

"_Just do it Kristina. Pain or no pain?"_

"_DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM!"_

"_DO IT!"_

"HELP ME ZEN!" Kristina screamed without knowing. As soon as those words came out of her mouth the snake in her mind retreated and disappeared. She was too concerned with making the images stop and did not realize the danger she had just put on Zen. She felt a needle enter her neck and lost all consciousness after that.

**Sith blockade over Eriadu**

"Alpha 564 continue on your present course," a voice said through the speaker.

"Acknowledged _Providence_ command, will do," Zen replied casually as he pushed the main thrusters of the fighter. So far he had been posing as an Imperial pilot and it worked. If he kept to his current course, it would lead him to Sullust, a friendly planet where he can prepare for a rescue of Kristina. If he find out where she is first.

"Help me Zen," a voice in his head said. It was Kristina and she needed help. Zen concentrated and honed in on where the voice came from. Through the Force, he traced it to a prison cell within the _Providence_, the Sith command ship that he was flying away from. He quickly reversed his throttle and flew back towards the cruiser.

"Alpha 564, you are not cleared for docking, resume your current course immediately," his com blared. When he did not budge, the voice came again. "Alpha 564, you are violating command. Return to your course or you will be fired upon."

Zen turned off the comlink and continued flying. Despite their threat of firing on him, Zen saw that neither the shields nor the defense turrets had been activated. Instead two fighters emerged from the hanger and they had no weapons activated either. Zen took advantage and fired his laser torpedoes, slamming the lead fighter and turning it into a fireball. Before the other fighter had a chance to react he fired again and the remaining fighter exploded as well. By now the hanger turrets on the ship had been activated but it was too late. Zen flew the fighter straight into the hangar and jumped out before it crashed into another parked fighter. As he rolled in the air he activated his neon lightsaber and upon landing immediately began attacking nearby guards.

With the guards dead, everyone in the hanger began running. A group of dock workers scrambled for cover but Zen had no sympathy for them. He curled two massive crates using the Force and crushed all of them. Several security droids rushed him but he massacred them all. Despite this intrusion, no warning klaxons sounded, no defense turrets activated, and no doors were sealed. It was almost as if they wanted him to enter the ship but in his anger Zen paid no attention to this. He made his way towards the nearest computer access point and jammed a small disc into the opening. He then removed the disk and stuck it into a mini-computer he pulled out of his robes. Instantly a plan of the entire ship appeared on the screen and he found the route to the detention level. He needed to make his way towards the front of the ship then descend seven levels all the way to the bottom of the ship. A cruiser this size normally had its own railway that runs in the center of the ship from the bow all the way to the stern so if he can get onboard that train, it would save him time. Smiling to himself, Zen stowed his computer and made his way towards the nearest station.

**Sith cruiser **_**Providence, **_**orbiting planet Eriadu**

"Where is he going exactly?" the captain of the _Providence_ asked Neo curiously as the two of them observed Zen on a computer screen.

"Knowing him he'll probably head for the nearest rail station," Neo replied. "It's the fastest way to get from the hanger to the cells."

"Interesting," the captain replied. "Should we send guards to intercept?"

"Hmm…send a squad for two," Neo said. "Our orders are to slow him down a bit, not kill him or prevent him to getting to the detention level. Lord Dalfarus was very clear on what needs to be done."

"Sir, the order has been given out for the fleet to move away from Eriadu," one of the deck crew said.

"Copy that," the captain replied. "Maintain current heading and speed. Do not jump to hyperspace until my command."

"Yes sir."

Zen stood on the top of a railcar as the rail jet propelled him towards the front of the ship. He had rigged the system of this particular car to not stop at any stations, causing waiting workers and soldiers to stare at him in awe as he passed. He wasn't particularly surprised when two Stalker battle droids were dropped from above to stop him but he wasn't worried either. The Stalker's greatest advantage lay with its repeating laser turret but in an enclosed space like a ship, such weapon would cause massive destruction and thus can't be used. Indeed the first Stalker did not fire its laser but charged, brandishing its twin vibroblades for a duel. Zen smiled to himself as he lifted the Stalker using the Force and hurled it at the opposite line, breaking the rail in half. He then jumped in front of the second Stalker, dodging two strikes before cutting off one its legs. With the Stalker disabled, Zen jumped onto its chest and stabbed both its eyes with his lightsaber.

Before he can savor his small victory, the jet rail came to a grinding halt. The controllers on the bridge must have overridden his command and stopped the rail. He could manually set the rail to go but there was no point, he must be closed to the detention facility anyways. Zen jumped again and landed on the surface. He heard shouting and turned around to see a swarm of guards rushing towards him. He wanted to kill them all but there was no time, he can't afford to be slowed down. Every minute he is stalled is another minute Kristina could be suffering. Zen ran forward, reaching the nearest service hatch and cut the door open. The service corridors were low and narrow, big enough only for two people to walk side by side, their heads barely touching the ceiling. If the schematics he read were correct, this corridor should lead him directly to the detention facility. With a hefty sigh, Zen continued forward.

"Service corridor, smart fellow," the captain mused as he and Neo watched Zen wandered through the tiny corridors. "I certainly didn't see that coming."

"You underestimated him," Neo said with a slight smile while shaking his head. "I told you he was resourceful."

"And how long do you think it will take him to realize she is not onboard this ship?" the captain asked.

"How long indeed," Neo chuckled to himself. "Lord Dalfarus is most brilliant, moving her before hand."

"I've always wondered why he moved her. Why bother with all the trouble bringing him here if she is going to be moved?"

"You are asking questions beyond your authority Captain. Lord Dalfarus's position is not something for you and me to question. We listen and follow, that is all."

"Of course sir, I meant no offense."

"No offense taken. Now move squads five and six to the detention level."

* * *

_Sorry for not updating sooner. The problem with this novel is that I write a chapter then post it, which slows down the updates. For my current stories I'm finishing several chapters then posting them at specific time intervals so updates will keep coming. I will try to update this story periodically. _


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